Damage
by frozen-mittenz
Summary: Victim are getting smarter. (A Hiead fic…*bows*) Please review!??
1. Dreaming

Damage  
  
Victim are getting smarter, and what will happen if some can enter GOA or find a way to attack people mentally? (A Hiead fic.*bows*) Please review!???  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing at all... Except for something in my brain called imagination!  
  
---  
  
Hiead resisted the urge to yawn, even though he was about to faint from exhaustion. 'This makes three nights in a row without any sleep.' He thought. Hiead tried again to go to sleep, and tried thinking about nothing but sinking into his soft comforter and pillows. He just couldn't. Finally the clock reached 6:30, and set the alarm off. A loud beeping noise filled the room. Hiead shoved a pillow over his head, determined to get at least a minute of sleep.  
  
"Turn if off!" Zero grunted, while slowly half-trying to untangle himself from his sheets. "Turn that racket off Hiead!" Hiead pushed his pillow harder on his head. "ARGH! It's closest to you, so cut it off!" Zero fell off of the bed. He was still tangled up in his sheets.  
  
Zero had had enough; he pulled himself off of the floor while muttering something, and walked over to Hiead's bedside and roughly unplugged the clock, which was now on 6:33. Hiead did in fact fall asleep the second that it was turned off.  
  
"Crazy person! Rise and shine! This is a new day, and a fresh chance for me to be better than you! You can't lie there for ever, can you?" Zero had a change in moods, and he now was flooded with hyper happiness. "Oh, get up already!" Zero gave him a playful punch in the back. Hiead didn't stir.  
  
'Wow, he's a heavy sleeper!' Zero thought, and tried to wrench the pillow out of Hiead's grasp. 'Shesh! He must be suffocating under there!' Zero attempted to pull the pillow off of Hiead's head again, but Hiead's arms wouldn't allow it. "Stop being stubborn, Hiead!" Zero said between his teeth.  
  
//. Hiead was walking down a dark dank alley. It was getting hard to breath, and his head was painfully throbbing. He dropped to his knees, and gripped the back of his head with his shaky hands. He was starting to sweat heavily, while dizziness mixed with pain, heat, and.fear.over took him.\\  
  
When taking the pillow off of Hiead's head didn't work, Zero simply started hitting his head over and over again. He felt Hiead tremble slightly, and then he oddly began to sweat. Zero knew something had to be wrong. He now was determined to take the pillow off of Hiead's head no matter what. 'This is really silly.' Zero thought. And then he succeeded, which made Hiead's hands fall to the top of his head.  
  
"So, you're just sleeping then?" Zero chirped. Hiead still didn't budge. So Zero grabbed his shoulders and started to shake him quite violently. Zero was murmuring, "Stubborn.stubborn.stubborn." over and over.  
  
Hiead's eyes flew open in one movement. Zero noticed this, and quickly got off. "Now thanks to you, we're going to be late." Zero crossed his arms, and was very angry and serious.  
  
Hiead sat up slowly, avoiding Zero's eyes. He then made an attempt to touch the back of his head, but couldn't bring himself to it. He winced quickly, hoping that Zero didn't see him as 'Weak'. "Why?" Hiead asked  
  
Zero did see Hiead reach for his head and wince, even though he didn't touch it. 'Is Hiead in pain?' But Hiead's question caught him off guard. "'Cause some little princess couldn't wake up!" Zero teased, and grinned. "I suggest taking a shower before our lessons! That is, unless you want to be all sweaty. Looks like you've been doing laps for Azuma!" Zero laughed hysterically and started dressing  
  
Hiead chose to ignore Zero's comment, though he did decide to take a shower. 'Great! I am all sweaty!' Hiead thought, looking into the bathroom mirror. His silver hair was stuck down flat on his head, and his face was slightly red. He sighed and glanced over at the little clock on top of the sink. It read. 6:44. "Fifteen minutes wasted!" Hiead pushed the thought about punching the mirror to the back of his head.  
  
"Yep! Would've been longer, if I didn't wake you up!" Zero chirped from behind him. Hiead slammed the bathroom door shut.  
  
Hiead walked out of the shower feeling quite refreshed, one because, he took a cold shower, and two, because Zero wasn't in the room. He put his training uniform on quickly, but steadily. Then dried his hair with his towel, which didn't take any time. Hiead was about to go out of the room, but he realized that he didn't brush his teeth or comb his hair. He grunted while picking up the comb and heading to the bathroom.again.  
  
When he finally reached the mess hall, about everyone was in there already. 'Darn, why couldn't I have gotten here earlier?' He looked around the large cafeteria. Some people that were looking aimlessly in his direction automatically looked the other way. No table was empty. "Humph." Just his luck. Once he got his morning breakfast, he took a seat next to Zero. Which was in the far corner of the Mess Hall. Besides, Zero wouldn't run away like a scared dog.  
  
Zero looked at Hiead blankly. 'Why's he sitting next to me?' He thought. "Good Morning!" He said to no one really, but mostly to Hiead. In front of Zero sat Kizna, and in front of Hiead was Ikhny. Zero could tell that Hiead was in a bad mood, just by looking at him. In fact, he was still staring at Hiead.  
  
Hiead noticed Zero stare, so he coldly stated, "Watch it, Enna." Hiead was concentrating on ways to eat his jello-like food, and didn't want Zero staring at him. He decided to eat it whole.  
  
Zero acted like he took the statement personally. "Well, if I didn't save your life this morning, you wouldn't be here!" Zero countered.  
  
"Humph." Was heard from Hiead. Did the others hear? 'Not like I care.' He thought. 'I wasn't dying.'  
  
Ikhny gave a little gasp, and so Hiead shut the thoughts of him dying out of her head with a quick bone-chilling glance. She looked down at her plate. 'I wonder what happened this morning.' She thought while silently trying to eat her food.  
  
"It's true!" Zero piped. "Say. 'Thank you!' " Zero grabbed Hiead's shoulder. Hiead was finished, so he simply stood up the same time that Kizna whispered, "Zero." Hiead turned around and left. Zero turned his head around to see where Hiead was going.  
  
"Umm. Zero?" Ikhny's voice and eyes were filled with concern. "What is it, Ikhny?" Zero replied. "W-What did happen t-this morning?" She stuttered. Kizna pricked her ears at the question, and looked at her best friend, and then at Zero. When he didn't reply Kizna asked, "WELL??"  
  
"Huh??" Zero acted like he was paying no attention, so that he could put the incident into words. "Oh! He didn't wake up this morning. I mean he had his pillow over his head and ignored the alarm clock. I just had to shake him awake. I'm guessing that he had a bad dream, judging by the amounts of sweat covering him." Zero hoped that that was enough information, and then added, "Nothing serious though. I was just joking, when I said that I saved him. love making him aggravated!"  
  
Ikhny was relieved, "Oh. that's nice that you thought to wake him up, Zero." She commented. Zero smiled, and Kizna sighed, 'Bone-head.' She thought. 'Almost gave me a heart attack.'  
  
---  
  
Hiead exited the Mess Hall quietly, and probably unnoticed. He looked back at the doors, and then started walking down a corridor, but something made him stop.  
  
Then the announcer came on.  
  
---  
  
I hoped you liked it! Please review or at least say if you liked it or not! After 3 comments, I'll write the 2nd chappy! Thank you! ~Em 


	2. In the Cover of Darkness

Damage Chapter 2: In the Cover of Darkness  
  
Okay, I don't have three comments, but I just had to post the 2nd chapter! Please tell me what you think?  
  
Disclaimer: I'm a fan I'm a fan! ^^ Nothing more or less! *Shows everyone her MK banner*  
  
Enjoy!  
  
---  
  
Hiead exited the Mess Hall quietly, and probably unnoticed. He looked back at the doors, and then started walking down a corridor, but something made him stop.  
  
Then the announcer came on.  
  
---  
  
Hiead drew a sharp breath as the lights suddenly cut off. For a moment, he thought that he was in space, but lost that thought, as the announcement speakers cut on.  
  
"Please don't panic, stay where you are. Find the nearest wall, and lie down. You will be safest there. Don't make any sudden movements."  
  
Hiead was frightened by the choice of their words. 'What's going on?' He thought. Panic seizing him. 'They didn't tell us a thing about what's happening!' His breaths were steadily growing faster and uneven. 'Why am I so scared? I just need to find a wall, that's all.' He sighed and started striding in one direction, with one of his arms out so that he didn't run flat into a wall.  
  
He never touched a wall, so he tried another direction, and he was starting to become unable to hold his arm steadily out in front of him. He was unwarily shaking. He slowed his pace. He was going in circles! Where was he? Surely he would've run into a wall by now! He cursed GOA's hallways under his breath.  
  
---  
  
The lights suddenly cut off in the Mess Hall, sending out random shrieks from everywhere.  
  
"What the?" Kizna said scared to death. She heard a small shriek from her left, so she reached, and grabbed Ikhny's arm to reassure her that everything would be okay. Ikhny was trembling. "Zero.?" She started, but was cut off by an announcement echoing throughout the Mess Hall.  
  
Everyone heard the announcement, and were moving to the walls, or under tables for protection from an unknown thing. Luckily for Ikhny, Kizna, and Zero, They were in a corner, and had a table.  
  
"Kizna?" Zero said out into the darkness. Zero gave a yelp as something yanked him under their table. The thing was in fact, Kizna's hand. She put her other hand on his mouth, remembering the part about 'No sudden Movements'. "Sush." She whispered in his ear. Then, seeing that he was settled, removed her hand slowly.  
  
Zero let out a soft sigh that could've barley been heard. Then he said, softer than a whisper. "Glad I don't know of any ghost stories!" Though, Kizna heard, and gently nudged him quiet.  
  
Ikhny, on the other side of Kizna, tapped lightly on her arm. Kizna put her hand on Ikhny's to indicate that she was listening. "I have to find Hiead." Ikhny confidently said. Even in the dark, Kizna could imagine what Ikhny's facial expressions were.  
  
"No, please." Kizna begged. "I'm sure that he is fine."  
  
"I just have a bad feeling. that's all." Her voice was still steady, but now filled with a mix of eagerness and fright.  
  
"He can handle himself." Zero stated, overhearing the conversation.  
  
Ikhny crawled out from under the table, while dodging chairs. "I'll be fine, trust me!" She whispered in the darkness.  
  
Kizna gave in. "Be careful, or I won't forgive you or myself." Ikhny unseeingly nodded, and answered. "Thanks."  
  
Kizna could hear her stepping away from the table. By now, almost everyone was talking, silently, but still talking. "Why did you let her go? I thought best friends weren't suppose to do that!" Zero said, shaking her closest shoulder to him, luckily, he actually grabbed her shoulder, instead of something like her hair or ear.  
  
"Zero, Zero." She said coolly, almost humming. "You have a lot to know about friends." She then leaned her head up against the concrete like wall.  
  
Zero sat next to her. "Man, when are they gonna cut the lights back on?" He said out of nowhere.  
  
"Dunno."  
  
---  
  
Ikhny was thankful that she had a good sense of direction. She knew exactly where she was going even though she couldn't see anything in front of her. She held out a hand in front of her, and one by her side, so that the tables could keep her on the right track.  
  
After about a minutes worth of walking, she found the door to exit the Mess Hall.WIDE OPEN? She was momentarily horrified thinking that something horrible could've entered. Gathering what was left of her confidence, she marched out the door. 'Let's see. the opposite wall should be. umm. about eight to ten feet away, I think.' Ikhny was trying to cheer herself up, the best way that she knew how, by thinking happy thoughts.  
  
Sure enough, the wall was where she thought it would be. She put her hand out against it, to guide her. Ikhny turned a corner. 'Maybe Hiead went this way.' She thought. The darkness was swelling up and making odd shapes indicating that there might be something watching her. Ikhny quickly took that thought away.  
  
Ikhny felt a doorframe, and the door was again strangely opened. She shuttered, 'All doors must be opened on GOA!' She rubbed the wall, until she found the dotted material. () 'Ah! The Recreation Room.' She read with her fingers. She entered. "H-Hi.AAHH!" She made a sharp scream, as something knocked her back out of the doorway. It didn't feel quite human. Her head ached, and her mind slowly but quickly became fuzzy. She slipped into darkness.  
  
---  
  
Hiead was still 'trying' to reach something, when he heard a scream. He headed in that direction, but tripped over an object. 'A chair?' He thought while feeling the object with his fingers. It had no legs. 'A broken chair? That's odd.' He put the broken chair down, and started walking again, in the same direction. He moved his feet lightly, not wanting to trip over anything.  
  
He slowed his pace to a sneaking type speed, for a bad filling seized him, and made his stomach turn, and his knees unstable.  
  
He edged closer. He just had to be close, for the scream had to be a couple of meters from where he was standing when he heard it. Hiead caught a faint sound, it sounded like breathing. Actually more like hissing. He took a deep soundless breath, and shakily held out his left arm, hoping that the 'thing' was gone, but he still heard harsh soft breathing.that was becoming louder? Hiead was confused and shaken at that.  
  
'What would Zero do in this type of situation?' Hiead smirked remembering the practical coward. 'Probably run, or start screaming, crying while running and screaming.' He turned his attention back to the 'thing'. maybe it was an injured person that was struggling to breath.  
  
He reached out a little further, and touched.scales? He pulled his hand back quickly, because just touching it made his fingers burn. Hiead winced, and then reached out again, but it was gone. That kind of startled him.  
  
One by one, the lights started coming back on. Hiead looked down at the floor a couple of feet away from him, and forced back a scream.  
  
---  
  
I think that the story is slowly getting better. hmm. Anyways, please tell me what you think? I'll give you a free cookie if you do!!! 


	3. Gone and Truth

Damage Chapter 3: Gone and Truth  
  
Wanna see my picture of Hiead that I drew yesterday? ^^  
  
Thank you so much, Kappy Locks! You made me want to write more and more! Here's a cookie for you! *Hands Kappy Locks a cookie* Thank you!  
  
Disclaimers: Where's my SHOES!? *Thinks: If I owned MK, I'd have personal Maids!* *sighs* Oh! There they are! *Reaches underneath the computer*  
  
Now on to the fic!!  
  
---  
  
He reached out a little further, and touched.scales? He pulled his hand back quickly, because just touching it made his fingers burn. Hiead winced, and then reached out again, but it was gone. That kind of startled him.  
  
One by one, the lights started coming back on. Hiead looked down at the floor a couple of feet away from him, and forced back a scream.  
  
---  
  
The lights flicked back on, and the Mess Hall was filled with commotion. Some of the noise was from people's eyes adjusting to the unexpected burst of light.  
  
"Uhh," Zero groaned rubbing his eyes. Kizna sat still, blinking stupidly. "Well, I'm getting out of here. You?" He asked a really stupid question, so Kizna pushed him out from underneath the table with the most force she could produce. Though, her face remained calm, though worried. She gracefully got up out from under the table and forgot about Zero who was currently muttering arguing with the chair, then weirdly started to apologize to it. She guessed that she pushed him into it. Oops.  
  
"Why were you there at the time that you were?" He muttered quickly at the still chair. "Ooh! You make me mad! Though, it wasn't you're fault. It was Kizna's, I mean; she pushed me into you in the first place! Blame her!" Zero's temper was slowly rising. Kizna resisted starting laughing "hysterically". "Oww!" He scowled.  
  
Kizna playfully punched him in the shoulder. She forced out a small giggle. 'Ah, that's Zero for ya. I don't think he'll ever change.' She giggled again. "Sorry Zero, It's nothing. By the way, I think that we should look for Ikhny!" Kizna was serious, and Zero was to 'Thankfully' He nodded.  
  
"I really hope that she's not hurt." Zero said as they started to make their way through the crowds of people. Zero didn't say anything, but her facial expressions meant, 'Yes.' A soft, but loud beep ecoed throughout the Mess Hall, meaning that an announcement would soon follow. Everyone was instantly silenced. Zero and Kizna stopped moving.  
  
"Please head back to your rooms. Nothing bad has happened. Please don't go anywhere Until we have full report that everything is safe."  
  
Everyone in the Mess Hall flocked out quickly, not knowing *still* what was completely going on. Maybe, they were experiencing electricity failure? That would explain why it was safer next to the walls, because no lights were there; they were in the centermost part of a certain area.  
  
Kizna was downhearted and stared down at the crystal-clean floor. "Hey, where do you think Hiead is?" Zero broke her concentration over what was happening. "I doubt that he was heading back to our room." Zero had his hand gripped on his chin, and the other one was supporting the other arm. He was looking at the ground, and was very thoughtful.  
  
'He just needs glasses and Walla! A clone of Clay!' She missed Clay. Besides, he would be a lot of help to them now. ((*Clay's an Observer.If you didn't know; So Hiead and Zero are the only occupants of their room with a vacant bead between them. Just to let you know why Clay's not in this! ^^; *))  
  
"I think that we should try looking in the Recreation." Zero stated, still considering the places that he could be at. "I mean, I saw him walk in that direction through the window slits of the mess hall. Besides, he's been in there many times. Especially when he gets upset. Like he ever gets upset. Anyway, it's a possibility." He shook his head agreeing with himself.  
  
Kizna figured that he was talking to himself. She silently nodded in agreement. They then turned left when they exited the Mess Hall, instead of right to the room halls. Most where probably already in their rooms by now, so Kizna and Zero felt a little sense of relieve knowing that they weren't being followed.  
  
Kizna kept her eyes downcast all the way. She noticed that there were small scratches in the flooring, but took no heed to them. 'Were they there before?' The thought stayed in her mind for a second, as her brain focused back on Ikhny.  
  
---  
  
Crimson blood. The thing that he had seen the most of in his life was staining the floor, and was in a puddle in one spot. He winced. It was dreadful to see, even for Hiead, out of all people. He started to search the floor around him. But first he looked back at his surroundings.  
  
He looked over his shoulders, and noticed the "RECREATION ROOM" Sign. So, he was in the Recreation Room? He looked into the room and noticed deep scratches in the walls, ceiling, and floors. Then he looked at the broken chair that he tripped over, come to think of it, everything was broken, torn, or scratched. 'What did this?' He thought, and turned his attention back to the bloody floor.  
  
He only saw a glimpse of the blood before, but now he was going to look at the details, for the person who screamed had been their seconds before. He studied the blood more carefully, and found that some was a maroon color. 'What the?' He paused. He found a small piece of a laminated-type paper. There were words on the other side of it, though the alien bloodlike liquid didn't soak into the paper. He reached down hesitantly any picked up the card.  
  
Touching the liquid made his fingers burn. 'Just like touching, it.' He thought. Hiead turned the card over and it shocking read:  
  
IKHNY ALLECTO  
#88  
CANDIDATE REPAIR  
  
Hiead's heart skipped a beat; it was Ikhny's ID Card. He had so many unanswered questions, that he was about to go mental in his secret mind. 'Stupid girl,' He thought, but then at the same time, he was actually worried. He stood dead still for maybe a minute trying to gather his thoughts, having no luck at all. Hiead was shook out of his trance by soft footsteps and murmuring coming in his directions. He didn't want to face anyone now.  
  
---  
  
Kizna and Zero turned the corner, and were very shock, frightened, horrified, and confused when they saw Hiead, and then noticed the pools of blood at his feet.  
  
Zero was filled with fury. Kizna on the other hand was about to faint. "HIEAD!" Zero roared. "What did y-you do?" Zero was almost on the verge of tears. "I always knew you where mad, b-b-but, never t-to," Zero stopped. If he continued, he would've broken down and probably strangled Hiead.  
  
Zero actually thought that Hiead was on the verge of killing people? He was really off. Hiead kept his actions cool, and his expressions non-readable. "No." He said. Hieads voice was a little higher than usual, he hoped that they didn't notice. Hiead mentally kicked himself.  
  
"What are you saying?" Kizna asked, soft hot tears rolling gently down her face.  
  
Hiead felt a little bit of pity for the pink-haired cat-eared girl. Since she was Ikhny's best friend, why not break the bad news to her first? He slowly walked towards her, dodging as much blood as possible until he was about two feet away. He stretched out his right arm, revealing Ikhny's ID. Kizna gasped, horrified, and put her hands over her face to hide her running tears. Occasionally, he could hear muffled words like, "No", "Never", "Liar", and "Pay."  
  
Hiead didn't know what else to say, and Zero was dumbly starting at him, astonished that Hiead didn't kill anyone but he on the verge of tears himself. He tried soothing the sobbing Kizna, while still staring at Hiead suspiciously.  
  
Hiead couldn't stand it anymore, so he took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He then lowered the I.D. and dropped it on the floor. He then started to walk away. He didn't want to tell them the truth, it pained him enough just by knowing it. Zero turned his head around to watch him leave, and by Zero and Hiead's surprise, Hiead stopped suddenly, without turning around; and one word escaped his lips, it was unsteady and higher like before. He just couldn't get a hold of himself.  
  
"Victim."  
  
---  
  
'Where did Ikhny go?' You ask. Well, to tell you the truth, I don't know yet. The more I write, the more I think up! ^^ Anyways, please will you tell me what you think?  
  
*Cough* Miri, Thank you for getting that stupid Writter's Block off of my head! ^^  
  
Also, I didn't 'proofread' this chapter; so if I made stupid errors, don't do anything strange and unusual to me. 


	4. Torment

Damage

Chapter 4: Torment

Lalita: Thank you so much for the reviews!!! You don't know how much they mean to me! Playful punch? I wrote that? Hmm, I guess it was kind of a I-got-up-before-you kind of punch. I really don't know what I'm writing these days. Anyways, Hiead is growing way out of character, but the cause is unknown for now, it's not by his actual doing. (I wonder if that made any sense.) Thanks again!!

Kappy Locks: Glad you like the cookie! ^^

By the way, this fic doesn't have any real pairings. It's just that Hiead, Zero, Ikhny, and Kizna, are the main characters. Though the attention is mostly focused always on Hiead or Ikhny.

--- 

*sniff* It's so sad, well to me at least. I can't write anything sad, I just mentally think it that way! *grabs a tissue*

You will find out what happened to Ikhny, and Hiead is well, becoming a mental mess. But he'll be inline sometime in the next chapters. ; Sorry about that! 

Please will you read and give me ideas?

Disclaimer: All I own is, computer!!

--- 

"Victim."

--- 

"No!" Kizna choked out. Her tears flowing slowly but surely down her red puffy cheeks.

Hiead left soundlessly.

Zero couldn't bring himself to say anything. 'Victim? On GOA?' He thought, standing in a deserted hall, save Kizna. 'This is serious. We can't defend the inside of GOA.' He paused his thoughts. 'Can we?' 

"G-Go talk to him." Kizna said straitening up. 'If Victim could enter GOA, then I shouldn't sulk over the loss of Ikhny.' At the thought, Kizna was forcing back more tears, thinking about her best friend. 'I, uh, we, should figure a way to defend ourselves, so that Victim doesn't have a chance!' She was making mental confidence statements to herself. 'Ikhny missing could be a warning to us all!' She felt a new 'Kizna' awake in herself.

"Wha!?" Zero asked, rather loudly. "Talk to who?" Zero gave her the I'm-serious-but-not-bright look.

Kizna slapped him in the arm and practically exploded. "TALK TO, HIEAD, YOU MORON!" Her ears were standing on end.

Zero, rubbing his upper arm, simply stated: "Why?"

Kizna sighed, and started to calm down. "I'm sorry, but *Hiead* has lost the only thing that he needs to stay a candidate; *HIS REPAIRER*." She stated the last two words to indicate a point.

Zero nodded. "Yea, you're right. But why me?" He stupidly pointed to himself.

"Because I," She paused thinking up something that was true about him, but not herself. "Am not a guy." Okay that was stupid. "But that's not the point. He comes closer talking to you than anyone else!" It was her turn to point fingers.

Zero nodded his head in agreement. "Fine. I guess that I will see you later?" Kizna nodded. Zero jogged down the hall that they came there from.

Kizna watch his figure slowly fade away into nothingness. She hesitantly reached down to the blood-covered white floor to at least do the courtesy of taking Ikhny's ID tag with her, instead of it lying there for the whole ship to see. She put her hands around it, feeling warm blood sink into her gloved-fingers. For it was sitting in a puddle. 'Too warm.' She thought, and examined the blood closer. It was, 'MAROON!' Her mind screamed. It was not Ikhny's blood, it was, she gulped at the word, "Victim." She winced, her eyes becoming unfocused. She brought herself strait when she made a mental note that she was going to save Ikhny, and this brought her one step closer.

"That Victim was hurt." She stated the facts aloud to let them seep into her at-the-moment crammed brain.

--- 

Hiead entered his room without thinking anything about his repairer or Victim. 'I'm not like them.' He cleared his surging mind. 'So much happened today, but I won't let anything distract me.' Hiead laid down on his bed, looking blankly at the ceiling. He didn't know what time it was, since the clock was unplugged, and he didn't feel like getting up to look at the bathroom one.

Probably in Hiead's mind, a few minutes later, the last person on GOA, that he'd like to see was, Zero. The door slid open. Hiead rolled on his side, not wanting to look at Zero, or to see Zero looking at him. Why was he feeling like this? He cursed his, *emotions*.

"Are you going to be okay, Hiead?" Zero asked. His voice was low, calm, and sympathetic? Hiead wanted to say, "NO! NOW LEAVE ENNA!" But he couldn't say anything, for he would probably have a mental meltdown. 'Why's everything happening so fast?' He thought.

Zero edged closer. Hoping that Hiead wouldn't spring on him and attempt to choking him to death. He walked over to Hiead's side, hoping to see what expression he had on, if he ever had any. As soon as Zero got a glimpse of Hiead's red eyes, Hiead turned on his right side, opposite of Zero.

"No, Hiead. I mean it!" Sympathy mixed with a little bit of impatience this time. Hiead flung a pillow over his head, not wanting to hear anymore.

"Leave." Hiead said simply muffled underneath the pressure of the pillow.

"Hiead, I just wanted to." Zero stopped, as a pillow flung hard into his face, making him fall backwards. "I AM JUST TRYING TO" He couldn't bring himself to saying anymore, looking at the expression on Hiead's face. Zero felt a pang in his stomach telling him that he should go, anywhere, but stay in here. "I'm sorry." He said, softly so that Hiead could've barely heard it, if he was listening at all. Zero walked over to his bed and laid down also. 'Could Hiead've really been that upset?' He thought, while trying to picture Hiead ever being upset. Though, there where times when Hiead got upset that he wanted to kill or hurt someone really bad, but this was different. Hiead is really upset, and to who, his own partner, Ikhny?

Hiead's mind was racing. The memories of his past, his repairer, his failures, the family he never had and himself altogether, were driving him insane. What was going on? Why was he feeling so much pain over nothing? Zero's echoing voice told him that he was still alive. "Hiead, I just wanted to." Hiead didn't want him around, no one around. Why couldn't Zero or himself, or both, just drop over dead? He was in rage, and threw the pillow that was suffocating him, strait at Zero's face.

Hiead then mentally broke down. Why did he feel so strange? Why couldn't Victim have found him first? He was ready to leave this life. As soon as the pillow left his hands, he sat up, digging his hands into his face, and put his head between his knees, as to make himself invisible from everything, even himself. Hiead heard Zero fall to the floor, and then he started yelling, but stopped. That was when Hiead realized that his face was burning along with every part of his body.

Hiead rose up his head a little to look at his hands, that where shaking slightly, and moist with warm liquid. In fact, all of his physical self was shaking without his permission. He felt colder than usual. Frozen was more like it. Hiead dug his face into his hands again, feeling himself tear apart from his body. His very little soul, was before his eyes, ripping to shreds.

Zero was lying flat on his back. Thinking about nothing, as he always did, before today. He closed his eyes and sighed. 'Everything that I know, is turning into more things that I don't know.' That was the first thought that he had in minutes. He sighed again, and took deep breaths. "Ikhny. Hope that you aren't gone, like we all think." Hiead didn't hear. Zero rolled onto his side, his back facing Hiead, his left arm underneath his head. He closed his eyes, when it hit him that it wasn't even past dinner!

He was getting hungry. Zero pushed the thought out of his head. Maybe he would try sleeping? No, that would be silly to sleep during these hours. No, he'd just take a nap. Yea, just for a few minutes to pass time.

--- 

Azuma opened the door moments later, to find Zero snoring, and Hiead sitting on his bed with his face covered, and head between his knees. He didn't look conscious.

He'd just have to tell them later. He shut the door, and left them to their peace.

Azuma walked into the Medical Room, and sat down on a couch. Rill came out, sighing. "How's repairer 87 doing?" He asked, lighting a cigarette.

"Not good I suppose." She sighed deeply rubbing her forehead. "I did manage to bandage all of her wounds and burns, but she slipped into a coma in the doing from the blood loss." She looked stressed. "Though I did give her more blood of her type, but she isn't making much progress."

Azuma changed the conversation slightly. "So, where'd you find her?"

"The other end of GOA." She said plainly. "She was crumpled against the wall." She paused. "How'd she get there, since her friend told us that she found her ID tag in some of her blood, next to the recreation room? Which is clearly about a 15 minutes run from there." She sighed again. "I'm confused. I'll just let you figure out this kind of stuff." She paused thinking for a second. "This is quite serious. How about you talk to Repairer 88? She's next to 87's bed at the moment."

Dr. Crawford walked off mumbling something about coffee.

--- 

Ikhny laid deadly still as Kizna watched her through tear-stained eyes, her best friend's life was fading slowly away.

--- 

*Grabs another tissue* I'm so cruel! Oh well, I like this chapter! Please will you tell me what you think?

NOTES: As you are witnessing, Hiead is clearly, well, suffering. I know it isn't like him, and there's going to be a surprise in the future chapters about why he is so different, though he will be himself next chappy! ^^


	5. The Cruel and The Hurt

Damage

Chapter 4: The Cruel and The Hurt

The story in my opinion, is getting a little better the more I write. Please will you read and review?? Please?

Disclaimers: *sigh* I live on a small farm. ^^; So I'm not rich, which means that I don't own anything MK! (except a copy of the series!) 

--- 

Ikhny laid deadly still as Kizna watched her through tear-stained eyes. Her best friend's life was fading slowly away.

--- 

::FLASHBACK::

Kizna watched Zero's figure slowly fade away into nothingness. She hesitantly reached down to the blood-covered white floor to at least do the courtesy of taking Ikhny's ID tag with her, instead of leaving it lying there for the whole ship to see. She put her hands around it, feeling warm blood sink into her gloved-fingers. For it was sitting in a puddle. 'Too warm.' She thought, and examined the blood closer. It was, 'MAROON!' Her mind screamed. It was not Ikhny's blood, it was, she gulped at the word, "Victim." She winced, her eyes becoming unfocused. She brought herself strait when she made a mental note that she was going to save Ikhny, and this brought her one step closer.

"That Victim was hurt." She stated the facts aloud to let them seep into her at-the-moment crammed brain.

Kizna stood up strait gathering her thoughts, and made conclusions one by one, when Rill came rushing down the hall, pushing a stretcher. She stopped in front of Kizna. "Are you hurt?" Dr. Crawford asked gasping for air.

"No," Kizna's ears pricked at the question. 'They knew someone would get hurt?' She thought staring dumbly at Rill.

"What's this?" Rill's voice screeched will she pointed to the blood behind Kizna. "Hmm, this doesn't look right." Rill reached into her pocket and pulled out a test tube and an eye-dropper. She took a sample of *victim's* blood. "So, then, do you have any idea who was injured?" Rill asked a simple question breaking the odd silence between them, while sealing the test tube.

Kizna thought for a second. "I believe repairer #87 was here at one point." She said. "I went looking for her without permission." She paused and went on. "I found this," Kizna handed Rill the ID tag. "In the middle of *that* mess." She squinted under the Doctor's gaze.

Rill spoke up. "Then we need to find her!" She placed the test tube securely in one of her many pockets. "Come on, she should be somewhere on GOA!" Rill started to run off with the stretcher again, and Kizna followed swiftly behind her.

'Ikhny could be alive!?' Kizna thought. 'I hope she is. I can't bare to loose her.' A single tear rolled down her face. After minutes of running, they started to see trails of blood. Kizna tried to keep her eyes off of the floor, but then there was the maroon blood too, and she was slightly interested in the *injured* Victim. The drops of blood were becoming larger as they ran.

Rill suddenly came to a halt and jogged about six feet in front of the stretcher, then kneeled down on the floor to check for a pulse in the limp being.

Kizna stopped next to her and gasped, "Ikhny, no!" Ikhny was lying curled up against a corridor wall bleeding from horrible deep cuts in her legs, and she also had slight burns on her face and neck.

"She's still breathing, but barely. She is currently unconscious." Rill started to straiten out Ikhny's body so that she laid flat on her back. "Here, help me put her onto the stretcher.

Kizna choked out an "Okay," while still looking at Ikhny's wounds. The expression on Ikhny's face clearly stated that she was in pain, even though she was unconscious.

After Ikhny was on the stretcher, Rill put an oxygen mask on her, and bandaged her wounds the best that she could to stop the blood-loss. "We need to get her to the Infirmary quickly, if she is going to make it." She said, so Kizna helped by taking part in pushing the stretcher also.

::End of Flashback::

--- 

Kizna slowly came back to her senses and raised up her head off of Ikhn'y bed. She slowly opened her eyes, hoping with all her heart that Ikhny would be awake and well. She wasn't. Ikhny was breathing slow and a little harshly, as if she struggled to hang onto her fading life. Kizna let a few tears fall down her cheeks, as she rubbed Ikhny's bruised hand.

Ikhny was the only person in GOA, that she could count as a true friend, save maybe Zero. Kizna sat by her side for days it seemed, though it probably was about an hour or two, maybe. 'How could you? You promised."

--- 

Azuma took Rill's advice, and went to see Kizna, rather interview her. He slowly opened up the door, not really knowing what to expect. Ikhny's condition or Kizna's. He walked in seeing that 88's Repairer didn't realize that anyone had entered. He stated firmly, "Repairer #88."

Kizna's ears sub-consciously twitched and she stood up quickly saluting him. "Yes." She answered as under control as she could manage.

Azuma's voice changed to a conversation-like tone, to make Kizna feel relaxed while telling him details. "Tell me everything that you can manage in your point of view since the lights went out until now." Kizna stared blankly at her instructor for a few seconds and then took a seat, seeing that Azuma did as well. Then she started talking saying everything that she could without breaking down into tears.

--- 

Hiead lifted his head up from where it rested in his hands. It took him only a few seconds to recall where he was, helped by nonstop snoring near him. He glanced coldly over at Zero, then smirked. Zero was helpless to his anger, which was boiling up in his veins, while he was sleeping. Hiead craved pain, suffering, something tearing into pieces at the moment. He gave an evil little laugh to himself, he was bored, he knew it.

Zero continued snoring. Hiead rubbed his fingures. 'Odd' He thought. They were clammy and sticky. Did he run laps today? 'Odd' He thought again. He couldn't remember anything that happened today. He shrugged his shoulders, his whole body was sweaty. He raised an eyebrow slightly. He didn't have a dream. He couldn't recall anything at all, even waking up. He looked over at the clock, curious.

Hiead sighed in annoyance. The stupid thing wasn't even plugged in. It flashed, 12:00, over and over, when he plugged it back in. He then got out of bed and went to the bathroom for a quick cold shower. He sure needed it, but first he glanced at the tiny clock on the sink. Help him, it was 5:40pm! He resisted the urge to slam the clock against the floor and break it into many pieces when he thought of Zero being strangled senseless.

Hiead locked the door and took off his training uniform, which was practically stuck to him. 'What did I do?' He wondered, as he stepped into the shower. He was relaxed in the cold, which many would cringe at. He smiled timidly, running his fingers through his silk silvery hair, and soon after, thinking that he'd fall asleep, stepped out of the shower feeling a lot better. He then decided to put fresh clothes on, so he shook his hair fairly dry with his towel, and then put the towel around his waist, and walked out of the bathroom. He glanced Zero, making sure that he was sleeping, and he was; (_loudly) _Before speed dressing.

Hiead was practically bored. Why couldn't Zero just wake up or something? Hiead decided to leave, though the door was locked, and wouldn't allow his leave. 'What the?' He cursed under his breath, heading in Zero's direction. "Enna." He stated rather loudly. Zero kept snoring peacefully.

Hiead raised an eyebrow, and swiftly grabbed Zero's ankle and jerked him off of the bed. Zero awoke just as his nose met the floor. He had a nose bleed, and the most annoying feeling was swirling in it. Zero hazily got up, to see what happened. Hiead was smirking approvingly. "HIEAD!? YOU!" He screeched holding his nose.

"Did that hurt, Enna?" Hiead smirked his evil grin again at Zero. Zero's eyes turned from anger and revenge, to pity? Was Zero actually trying to die here? 'Maybe he knows something though.' Hiead figured. Hiead could hurt Zero and get some answers out of him at the same time. "Stop." Hiead stated. Zero was giving Hiead pitiful looks. 'He is giving me, Hiead Gner, pity?' Hiead smirked at the thought.

"Stop, wha?" Zero was still clenching onto his nose, uneasily calm.

"STOP LOOKING AT ME LIKE THAT!" Hiead roared in anger. How stupid could you get? Hiead growled. Zero didn't stop, it just got worse.

"Hey, it's okay if you're upset. I'll leave you alone." Zero stated simply, his voice steady and serious.

'Zero? Serious? Naw,' Hiead thought, looking into the deep ocean-blue eyes. "Get a life, Enna. I'd think you'd be the one upset." Hiead sneered, slightly amused in his pathetic conversation.

Zero looked at him, now wiping the dried blood off of his nose with his arm. "Yea?" Zero was getting madder, and Hiead was getting more amused. Zero countered, "Well, I wasn't the one breaking down!" Zero paused looking into Hiead's dead crimson eyes. "Did I hit you're sensitive spot?" Hiead's eyes narrowed, making his death glare more effective. Zero burst out laughing.

"Breaking down?" Hiead taunted Zero. He wanted the most information that he could get out of him. "No, no, Zero. . . You're going to break down after I'm done with you." He let a small smile of cruelness fill his facial features, and then he lunged at Zero, and pinned him to the floor. Zero gasped as Hiead put his cold hands around Zero's warm neck. Hiead had his arms pinned down with his knees, the pain felt stabbing-like.

Zero grunted. 'What's wrong with this guy?' "H-HIEAD! G-GET OFF O-OF ME-EE!" Zero said catching every breath with his life, struggling hard to get away.

"Why?" Hiead hissed coldly pressing his hands harder around Zero's tough neck. "Can't I remember today?" Hiead heard something like, "Can't Breathe," but Hiead didn't back down from his prey. Then he heard something like, "Ikhny. . . " He stopped strangling Zero, but kept his hands firmly around Zero, trapping him, though allowing him to answer his questions. Zero gasped for breath.

"What happened to my repairer?" His hissed close to Zero's face. She could've resigned, and for all he knows, poisoned him. He hoped that it was the first.

Zero caught his breath again, and then said simply. "Victim attacked." He paused looking thoughtful. Hiead kept glaring. "You witnessed it, you found it first and broke the news to Kizna and I." He stopped seeing that Hiead's eyes were slightly narrowing and the opening, then narrowing again. "Y-You don't remember? Do you have a fever?" Zero questioned, forgetting that he was an inch from death.

Hiead gripped all of the sudden extremely hard for a second, practically turning Zero blue; then out of nowhere, let go and got off of him. Hiead walked over to his bed, and laid down, looking blankly at the ceiling with his arms behind his head. 'How much longer am I going to be in this torture chamber, stuck with a nightmare goofball of a goddess?' He thought. As an after thought, he added, 'Do I have amnesia?' Hiead then drifted into a not-so-good dream.

//. . . Hiead's heart pounded in his throat as he ran for his dear life. He looked back while still running, he saw houses on fire, people screaming, and guns shooting. "VICTIM!" One woman shrilled at the top of her lungs, and then with a quick scream, nothing more was heard from her. He was running down a long dark alley, which he knew more than any other part of the colony.

Hiead turned his face back around into the direction that he was running, just in time to touch something scaly, but smooth. It's solidness knocked him over backwards, landing on his back. Everywhere that he had touched it, his cells burned. He grunted in agony and sat up to see what he ran into. The last thing he heard was sharp hiss-like breathing, and the last thing he saw, was great solid orange eyes. Only the eyes of a monster. . . \\ 

Hiead awoke suddenly gasping for breath, sweat pouring down him for no reason. "Yep, and you call that, -Not breaking down-?" Zero snorted from the distance. Hiead chose to ignore him. He quickly calmed himself down, to avoid Zero's comments. Zero giggled again.

The intercom cut on. 'I'm saved!' Thought Hiead.

"GOA is now safe and inspected,

Every hall and corridor have been checked.

Please report to your nightly activities."

Hiead raised an eyebrow. 'Safe from what? Oh well, at least I'm leaving this Hell Haven.' Hiead sighed and walked out the door, which was _thankfully_ unlocked. He was getting hungry, and since he didn't have any classes at this hour, he would eat something in the Mess Hall and turn in for the night. 'Maybe tomorrow will be more normal than today.' Zero, to Hiead's aggravation, Zero trudged swiftly behind him, humming something. Hiead grunted.

--- 

Kizna walked out of the Medical Bay a little relieved to tell someone her point of view, though saddened by how much Ikhny was not improving. It wasn't like she just died out of nowhere, she was suffering, every breath, you could hear her struggling. She was headed to the Mess Hall.

She then spotted Zero, and Hiead and decided that she'd just walk with them, and tell Zero about Ikhny's (bad) progress. She jogged to catch up with them, which only look about a couple of seconds.

"Zero!" Zero jumped hearing her voice. He wasn't expecting her to be here.

"I've got good and bad news, Zero." She said rather quickly. Hiead kept his ears open, curious on what the new was about. He was walking slowly in front of them.

"It's about, Ikhny!" Zero's eyes widened. "She's still alive! Though she isn't doing good though, she is barley living." Kizna's ears dropped. Hiead's eyes narrowed a little bit and he picked up his pace. Why couldn't he remember?

--- 

This is about double on what I usually write on a chapter. . . Anyways I hoped you like it! I will continue, though you really don't know how comments help me! Thanks for reading! 

-Emily915

(emily915@starmail.com)


	6. Heat :Hiead's Fever p1:

Damage

Chapter 6: Heat (Hiead's Fever p.1)

Black Star: This isn't going to turn out as a Hiead/Ikhny fic, though it may sound that it is leading to it at times. Hiead and Ikhny are infact my favorite characters, but I'm not going to put them together, or make Hiead change the way he looks at her. Well at least I hope not. . .

Lalita: I have 4 words for you! . . . YOU MAKE ME WANNA WRITE! . . . Wait that was 5, anyways, thank you!!!

Disclaimers: I wonder were you can get Hiead plushies. . . If I had any partnership with the owners and makers of MK, I'd get lots of character plushies for FREE!!

Enjoy, chappy!

--- 

"Zero!" Zero jumped hearing her voice. He wasn't expecting her to be there.

"I've got good and bad news, Zero." Kizna said rather quickly. Hiead kept his ears open, curious on what the news was about. He was walking slowly in front of them.

"It's about, Ikhny!" Zero's eyes widened. "She's still alive! Though she isn't doing good though, she is barley living." Kizna's ears dropped. Hiead's eyes narrowed a little bit and he picked up his pace. Why couldn't he remember?

--- 

"Umm. . . May I ask, how Hiead's doing?" Kizna spoke as Hiead disappeared around a corner.

"Same as usual," Zero snorted. "Seems to have got amnesia to me." Zero nodded to himself. "So, continue on with the news about Ikhny." He stated in a matter-of-fact kind of rude way. He probably just wanted to 'not' talk about anything even having to do with the word, 'Hiead'. 'Maybe they got into a big fight?' Kizna thought to herself.

"I've already told you about Ikhny. Would you like me to repeat my simple two sentences?" She was getting a little annoyed. Of course she didn't 'wanted' to talk about Ikhny's state of being. It was hard enough knowing it as it is. She is suffering, and most likely dying. 

Zero blinked stupidly in Kizna's direction for a couple of seconds, so Kizna took it as a personal insult, and did what she did best.

"Ouch!" He groaned, as Kizna's hand swiftly crossed Zero's cheek. "What was that for?" He practically yelled.

"For pushing my bad mood!" Kizna yelled also, and stormed off in the direction of the Mess Hall. 'So, those two did get into a fight. The evidence is printed in red around Zero's neck.' She thought. Kizna wasn't mad at Zero, or anything else. She just wasn't in the mood for hanging around people. Though she just had to tell Zero, or else he would bug her with his silly theories later. Kizna sighed, and loosened up a little; a big burden was just lifted off of her chest.

Zero didn't want to face Kizna or Hiead again anytime soon, or else he might have an early unexpected death. He winced at the thought while walking also to the Mess Hall.

--- 

Hiead entered the Mess Hall calmer than he had been for a while it seemed. After grabbing his tray, he sat down in his usual seat, which was thankfully empty. He sat down staring at his food. He after all was hungry, but he just wasn't in the mood to eat at the moment. Maybe he did have some kind of amnesia. Who knows? Maybe he should talk to Rill about it, but than again, he defiantly didn't want to talk to Rill 'ever'.

Hiead was actually filling different, though his mind wasn't admitting it. He felt. . . Weaker. He scratched that thought. He wasn't weak at all, he was the best. Hiead then stuck his spoon into the pinkish rice-like food first. He lifted it up to his eye level and just stared at it; the metal spoon, food, and him were all that existed in that moment. Hiead wearily put the spoon into his mouth. The spoon now sat on his tong for a couple of seconds, then he hastily pulled it back out, food still uneaten. If he'd try to eat it, he probably would've choked it back up. Nope, he wasn't in the mood to eat.

Hiead slowly blinked as dizziness started to take him on. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and opened them again. He then noticed that Kizna was already sitting down, looking mad for starters. Zero avoided her and sat elsewhere. Dizziness started again, and his vision swerved in and out. Hiead touched his forhead. Goddess, did he just 'now' realize that he had a fever? Maybe he should go see Dr. Crawford; he'd just simply ask for medicine. Hiead mentally nodded in agreement as he stood up to dump his tray, his vision still smarting on him.

Hiead walked out of the Mess Hall obviously getting weird glances from other candidates and repairers. He sighed as everyone disappeared from his sight. It was then that Hiead noticed that he was walking kind of strait, though he curved a lot when his vision blurred. He was getting sicker. Getting sick was for the weak, he didn't want to be compared as an equal to the rest.

Slowly but steadily, Hiead walked himself up to the Medical Room. When he reached it, he opened up the automatic sliding door and walked in. Yukine and Mitche were busily going in and out of one room, humming slightly to their selves, while scribbling down info on their clipboards. Hiead felt himself shift from consciousness to sub-consciousness, repeatedly. 

Rill slowly came into view looking quite tired and depressed, she also had a clipboard. She noticed Hiead, and strode up to him. "What seems to be the problem?" There was no answer.

Hiead felt like he was in an oven of some kind, baking slowly from the heat. Fuzziness filled his vision and his mind. What kind of disease could cause this? He wasn't paying attention to anything Rill was saying, everything was a blur.

The irrigated doctor sighed and put her hand on Hiead's forehead. Just like she thought, he had a high fever. His cheeks were red, as though he was madly blushing. (Which he wasn't, no doubt.) She took her hand away, and started writing on her clipboard. "Does anything feel, odd?" She asked concentrating on writing. She heard a 'thunk' and looked down, to find Hiead unconscious on the floor.

Rill sighed and comanded cooly, "Yukine, Mitche!" The two nurses popped their heads out of various rooms. "Yes?" They both said together. "Put him in a bed, he has a high fever." The two gave strange glances to the motionless large object in front of Rill's feet. "Yes!" They piped, and drug him off. 

Rill sighed and rubbed her temples. 'I'm guessing that he touched the Victim as well, though his after effects are not like Allecto's because he might've had made contact for only a second or two, unlike him, she touched it for over a minute maybe.' She sighed again.

Ikhny's private medical room opened when Rill entered. She carried several icepacks with her, because Ikhny's fever was the highest that anyone's has ever been before. Hopefully the ice and pills will help her cool down maybe for a minute or two. Rill gently brushed up Ikhny's bangs and laid an icepack on her sweat-drowned forehead. The poor girl's body was coated in layers of sweat.

--- 

This chapter is short, simply cause I have to go to bed, and I want to start a new idea/chapter tomorrow! Talking about tomorrow, I've got school, I'm going to be dead tired in the morning. It's 11:25pm! Please give me your ideas on how you would like this story to run, or any comments, questions, or reviews. Any feedback would be highly appreciated! (Oh, I didn't re-read this chappy, sorry, so please forgive me if I accidentally put 'new' instead of 'news' *caughlastchaptercaugh*)

-Emily

(emily915@starmail.com)


	7. Heat :Hiead's Fever p2:

Damage

Chapter 6: Heat (Hiead's Fever p.2)

Silvermyth: Thank you for pointing out my choppiness!! I'll try better in this chapter! Thank you thank you!!

Author's note: More time means: More time to ruin the story. *sigh* You probably will or won't like this chapter. Oh, and Hiead's dreams are *not* his past! ^^ (Just had to state that.)

Disclaimer: *raises an eyebrow* Umm. . . Whatever you think.

--- 

The irrigated doctor sighed and put her hand on Hiead's forehead. Just like she thought, he had a high fever. His cheeks were red, as though he was madly blushing. (Which he wasn't, no doubt.) She took her hand away, and started writing on her clipboard. "Does anything feel, odd?" She asked concentrating on writing. She heard a 'thunk' and looked down, to find Hiead unconscious on the floor.

Rill sighed and commanded coolly, "Yukine, Mitche!" The two nurses popped their heads out of various rooms. "Yes?" They both said together. "Put him in a bed, he has a high fever." The two gave strange glances to the motionless large object in front of Rill's feet. "Yes!" They piped, and drug him off. 

--- 

Crimson eyes slowly halfway opened bringing in different hues of dull colors. Their vision slowly going in and out, from white to black; looking subconsciously around the ceiling and far off wall. Nothing was clear. They were watching or more like waiting for something to happen. Hiead stirred.

The two dead guards returned to the shadows as soon as Hiead awoke. A moan of painful pleasure escaped his lips from the millions of burning spears jabbing at his stiff mortal body.

Hiead shakily flexed his fingers. Moving at all, made the enemy attack harder in fear, for their prey might escape. Hiead was sure that he was being cooked alive in a human oven. He wearily opened his eyes once more, seeing the dark hues of green and grays, he knew that Rill had put him in a room of the Medical Bay. He closed his eyes, he wanted to scream to the whole race of people that they could lay down their weapons, for he was dying, the 'great' Hiead Gner, was falling. . .'

BEEP. . . BEEP. . . BEEP. . . . Listening to the heart monitor, he slipped into the shadowy corners of his mind; the sounds blurring together. BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP. . .

// . . . A child ran for his life. Taking a quick hazard of a glance to the scene behind him, he saw flames engulfing anything and everything to burn and choke it to death. He turned around and resumed running at full speed. His silver hair half sticking to his forehead because of all the sweat. His lungs were on fire, dieing for air in the smoky atmosphere. Fresh clean air. He started coughing uncontrollably. He was dead, the boy knew it. Flames engulfed his small lanky body. . .\\

Rill, hearing a coughing fit of some sort coming from Hiead's room, wondered if he was awake. She peered in, hoping that he was awake for a checkup.

Sure enough, Hiead was bundled in a ball underneath the thin layer of sheets on top of him, coughing madly, lying on his side opposite of her. She flipped the lights on, flooding the room with light.

She walked over to his bedside, and poked him gently on the shoulder. "87?" She paused, and the coughing continued. "87!" She was loosing her patients. She growled, "87, are you awake!?" She roared right next to Hiead's ear. The coughing still continued nonstop. 'He'll choke himself to death if he isn't conscious.' Rill sighed, and strong but calmly, she shook his shoulders.

Hiead gave a start, and merely jumped off of the bed. His coughing fit vanished, though his voice was harsh and worn out. He was toasting hot, and the now 'jabbing' spears resided into poking toothpicks. His frightened eyes flew open, sending a huge mixture of blurred lights in his direction; he was confused. Sitting up, Hiead unwarily started rubbing his eyes.

Rill sprung backwards. 'How dare he do that!' She thought, and then cleared her throat. Hiead looked her strait in the eyes, making her slightly nervous. "Well, then." She paused; Hiead's eyes narrowed. "Now that you're awake. . . Tell me how you feel." Her eyes narrowed as well.

Hiead thought for a moment, and looked down at his right hand, which most of the pain seemed to be emitting from. "Hot." He choked. The words scorched his throat.

"I see." Rill stated in a matter-of-fact way. "So, you did touch the VICTIM, . . . Did you not?" She kept her face firm and still.

Hiead's eyes widened as he heard each word come into his mind. He thought, and closed his eyes trying to calm himself. "D-don't. . .r-remember," He choked out once again. Oh, how it tortured him to speak.

"You don't?" Rill was thoughtful.

Hiead gave a small nod while his eyes opened; looking at his knees.

"Don't worry then," She chose her words carefully. "You're memory will come back really soon." She paused. "Probably in a day or two. . .I'll check on you then, so get some rest." With that, she turned off the lights and left.

Hiead was left once again by himself. Alone to let the silence engulf him, and the pain to slowly rise within. He sighed heavily, and dropped back down onto his pillow staring blankly at the ceiling even though he couldn't see it.

After what seemed like an eternity of staring into space, objects started forming in the dark emptiness of the room. Hiead's mind was playing against him, he knew it. 'They're laughing,' Hiead thought. "Laughing," He spoke airily, hoping to force the less air up his throat as possible. Everything in the room seemed to laugh at his weakness; the walls were joining in with the air. He wasn't dead at all, so why laugh? He survived. 'But why not?' He questioned himself. 'Why am I alive?' He then mentally kicked himself. 'Why did I think that I was going to die?' He took a deep breath.

/. . .The flames were turning into lunging death shadows, the smoke turned into nothingness. He tripped, landing hard on his right wrist. He cursed the stones, and groveled back up to his feet. All of the noise. . .was gone. He was all alone, save for the stars and shadows. He started running again, though a bit slower, his injury unbearable.

He then heard far-off chirpings of some kind. He stopped and closed his eyes. When he opened them, he was standing in the middle of a field filled with short-cut green grass, and scattered dandelions. He looked up at the sky, an actual blue sky.

He sighed, for he was relaxed. A gentle breeze, blown through the wide-open field, ruffling the grass. The waves of grass were amazing shades of green. He heard the noise again. A thought hit his head: Birds. He had actually never seen them before. He turned his head toward the source of the sound, and found a serene little animal twirling about playing with the wind. He smiled in envy. The animal chirped with happiness like it had no cares in the world. It then gave a startling sheik and flew off hastily. His eyes widened as he reached out his arm, as if to catch it. 

A low rumbling vibrated in the ground and air; the wind picked up. His hair flew loosely around his head, as he looked around. Black storm clouds were approaching quickly with lightning sparking deep within them. He shuttered. There was no protection out here in the open, not even a tree. The rumbling became louder, as the storm cloud became larger. "No. . .no!" He said out loud to himself. To his surprise, his voice was even and soft.

It took only seconds for the sky to become completely dark. Lightning sung in the air, jumping to one cloud to another. The wind, once again, sped up it's pace.

Something wet landed on his cheek. He wiped it onto his fingers. . .Blood. . .Maroon. . .Blood! Many more drops steadily landing in more quantities, covered the once-beautiful land and turned it into a dimension of Hell. Each drop that hit him, felt like boiling water. Soon, the clouds let loose, and blood poured down upon everything. He didn't mind that blood was touching him, but the heat was suffocating.

He dropped to his knees with his head bowed and his arms on top of his now maroon-hair. The heat. That was all he could think about. . .the heat. His heart raced. A feeling of lose swam through his veins. What did he loose? There was nothing out here. . .\

--- 

BEEP. . .BEEEEEEEEPP. . .BBBBEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP. The heart monitor sighed as its status line became eternally strait.

--- 

Author's Note: Umm. . . Nothing really to say, but please review, or at least say if you like the plot or state some reasons why you didn't!

Also, someone dies in the next chapter. . . *sniff*

Thanks for reading!

-Emily

(emily915@starmail.com)


	8. Boy on a String

Damage

Chapter 7: Boy on a String

Author's Note: *cough* I named this chapter a song title of Jars of Clay's first CD. (I just had to be listening to it at the moment. *sigh* Though, they are the BEST! *grins*)

Disclaimers: Lets take a poll. "If you think that I own any partnership with MK, check yes!' *Looks at stats* Just like I thought.

--- 

BEEP. . .BEEEEEEEEPP. . .BBBBEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP. The heart monitor sighed as its status line became eternally strait.

--- 

Hiead awoke feeling sick, though not too feverous. 'Odd dream.' He thought, getting out of the hospital bed. The room was dark, though through the narrow crack underneath the door, he could see light seeping in. How long had he been asleep? Out of all the nerves, he was drenched in cold sweat! He sighed almost silently to himself and then shakily made his way to the door. 

His fingers pressed a few buttons, and the door slid quickly open revealing blinding light. Hiead stood there dumbly for a moment while letting his eyes adjust. As soon as he could see clearly, he stepped out into the main area of the hospital room, noticing that no one was in there.

Exiting back to his regular schedule without Rill's permission could be the end of him, so he patiently stood there waiting for someone to appear. To his surprise, a few moments later, Kizna burst out of one of the rooms crying hysterically, screaming something that didn't sound like any language. She stomped out in his direction, not aware that he was there, for her face was buried in her arms, and she was still screaming. Hiead's eyes suddenly widened, as Kizna ran past him, and out of the medical room.

Shortly Zero came stumbling after her in some kind of rage. Zero, to his distaste stopped in front of Hiead. Hiead stared murderously at him. "I-I'm truly sorry." Zero bowed his head before running out high speed after the heart-broken Kizna.

'Sorry?' What did Enna do this time? His eyes narrowed at the doorway for a few moments. "So, you're awake." Hiead was startled. He quickly turned around to face a grim looking doctor. He nodded slightly. Rill brushed her fingers through her blonde hair. She started walking to the room that Kizna and Zero had come out moments before. "Come on." She stated, and then sighed. "You better see for your self." She opened the door and stood in it's frame, not looking into the room.

Hiead slowly walked into the dull room, and looked over the bed. There lay his repairer, motionless. The heat monitor was unplugged, and she showed no signs of breathing. This was a huge surprise to him, for one: He thought that VICTIM had taken her, and two: She probably died of what he did not. He shuttered at both thoughts. He placed his hand gently on hers. "Is she. . ." He paused, looking at her care-free face.

Rill answered his question before he finished. "Yes, she is." She resumed her place leaning against the doorframe, not meeting his gaze.

His eyes widened as he took a closer look at his lifeless partner. 'She's gone now.' He told himself. 'You knew it from the start.' He closed his eyes in deep thought. A drop of liquid slowly ran down his face, and onto her pale cheek. He opened his eyes. He was sure that he might mentally fall to pieces. 'Now you have a better chance of becoming Pilot.' He tried cheering himself up. 'Now you might have someone better and more useful.' Another single tear, ripped itself painfully out of Hiead's eye, and down his face. He roughly wiped it off.

He turned to leave, giving his once-was partner a final glance; his face as cold as ever, showing no signs of tears of weakness or emotions. He stopped in front of Rill. "It's a pity really. . ." Rill said to the frame opposite of her. "She was always so sweet, quiet and hardworking." Rill sighed, putting her hands into her pockets.

"May I take leave?" Hiead asked squarely. Rill nodded. He left soundlessly.

"Dammit, Dammit, Dammit, . . ." He cursed silently in frustration all the way back to his room. "Stupid, Allecto!" He growled as he slammed opened the door, startling Zero. Zero looked at him in sympathetic annoyance. Hiead growled once again, and started aimlessly punching the wall over and over.

"Hiead!" Zero yelled. Hiead paid no attention. "Stop it, you!" He yelled once again, grabbing Hiead's arm, and pulling him away from the wall. Hiead flung himself onto Zero, crushing him onto the floor, though Zero was prepared for that attack, so he found away to make him the one on top. He grabbed Hiead's madly-swinging hands. "CHILL!!" Zero yelled a couple of inches away from Hiead's fuming face. 

Hiead became suddenly still, sending cool chills up Zero's spine. "Think about the mission. . ." He paused, hoping that Hiead was paying attention even though he probably was considering all of the glaring. Zero continued, ". . .Not about anything else. She has past away, and there was nothing that we or YOU could do about it!" Zero stated softly, though with strength.

Roughly Hiead yanked Zero off of him. "You. . .have a point." He said, standing up. Why did he say that? Zero got up as well, and put a hand on Hiead's shoulder.

"Just don't think anything of the past." Zero stated, and then exited calmly out of the room.

'Does Zero actually have a brain?' Hiead thought, lying on his bed. Why couldn't VICTIM just die already and leave everyone to their peace? Hiead rolled over onto his side and oddly fell instantly into a deep dreamless sleep.

---

Author's Note: Did you like it? Well that finished off my idea box, so if you have any ideas, please tell me 'cause I am REALLY STUCK! ;;

-Emily

(emily915@starmail.com


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